Box-opening device.



PATBNTED NOV. 13, 1906.

G. G. WEBER.

BOX OPENING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.16v 1906.

unirnn snares GEORGE C. WEBER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-THIRD TO PATENT @FFIGE EDWIN D. VVILDER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

I BOX-OPENENG Device.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 13, 1906.

Application filed January 16, 1906. Serial No. 296,354.

To (LZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE C. WEBER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chi cago, in the county of Cook'and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Box-Opening Devices, of which the following is a specification.

The device of this invention is intended for use in connection with covers of ordinary boxes or cans adapted to slip down onto the body of the box or can and the object of the present invention is to obviate the difficulty often experienced in removing the cover from the body of the box or can and which often results in bending or impairing the cover or box in the attempt to remove one from the other. It is ordinarily the custom to re move such covers either by a direct pull, which is frequently ineffectual, or by themsertion of the finger-nail or some sharp instrument under the edge of the cover, which often results in injury to the finger-nail or the instrument used and bends the edge or lid and renders its replacement difiicult.

The present invention provides means usable with all ordinary cans or boxes of the type indicated by which the cover can be instantly removed without difliculty and without danger of injury to the hand of the user or bending of the box or cover..

The invention consists in the features of construction and combination of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 illustrates the device of the resent invention applied to an ordinary blac ing-box or can with the cover in place. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the cover partially raised, Fig. 3, a view at right angles to the view of Fig. l, and Fig. 4 illustrates a slightly-modified form of construction. I I

The can or box consists of a body portion a, having a bead or flange 6, terminating in a rim 0, adapted to receive the cover d, which fits down over the rim and abuts against the bead or flange. The body of the can or box has secured thereto and upwardly extending therefrom a tongue e, terminating in an outwardly-extending portionf. The tongue, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, is composed of wire, which is bent or looped to form the outwardly-extending portion, allowing the free ends 9 to be soldered or otherwise secured to' the box-body. The tongue 6 cooperates with a tongue 7t, which is similarly formed to have an outwardly-extending portion 11 and attaching ends 7', which are secured to the cover in any suitable manner. In Fig. 4 in place of the wire tongues hitherto described a tongue Z is employed, which is formedof a piece of flat metal provided with an outwardly-extending end portion m, which tongue cooperates with a tongue 'n, which, as shown, is formed integrally with the edge of the box-cover and is provided with an out wardly-extending end portion 0. In Fig. 4 the body of the box is of somewhat different sha e from the box-body herein described for igs.',1, 2, and 3, and. it will be understood that the present invention is adapted to be used with boxes of all styles and shapes and is not limited in any way to use with a blacking-box of the character shown in the drawings.

In use when the cover is closed the two tongues will-lie adjacent to each other and extend in opposite directions of the box and cover, respectively. The end portions will be separated a considerable distance, as when it is desired to raise the cover the oppositelydisposed outwardly-projecting portions of the tongues are com ressed and act in opposite directions, whic of necessity forces the cover from the body of the box. The present invention is not limited to the particular methods herein shown and described of forming the tongues,'and it will be understood that the invention is intended to cover any similar projections which serve'as means for forcing the lid from the box in the manner specified.

From the foregoing description it will be. seen that the device of the present invention renders the use of boxes or cans having covers of the character indicated very much easier, safer, and more satisfactory than where the cover has to be pried off or otherwise removed every time the box is opened. The projections on the box and cover, respectively, are adapted to be compressed between the thumb and finger and the cover thrown up into position shown in Fig. 2 by the compression of the two projections, which of course renders the final removal of the cover a very easy matter.

What I regard as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, isv In combination with a box and a lid hav- ICC) ing a lip or flange adapted to inclose the upadapted to be compressed in cooperation per edge of the box,- a pair of cooperating therewith to act in opposition thereto to pry projections one of which is secured to the box oil the lid, substantially as described. outside of the box-body and the other ofv GEORGE C. WEBER. which is secured to the outside of the lip of l Witnesses:

the lid; one of the projections extending past EPHRAIM BANNING,

the other on the outside of the box, and I WALKER BANNiNG. 

